In the Arctic Regions. 227 
and clayey, and the country for many miles is level, 
and much intersected with water ; but we had not 
leisure to ascertain whether they were branches of the 
bay or fresh-water lakes. Some white geese were seen 
this evening, and some young grey ones were caught 
on the beach, being unable to fly. We fired at two 
reindeer, but without success. 
On August 14th we paddled the whole day along 
the northern shores of the sound, returning towards 
its mouth. The land which we were now tracing is 
generally so flat, that it could not be described from 
the canoes at the distance of four miles, and is invisi- 
ble from the opposite side of the sound, otherwise a 
short traverse might have saved us some days. The 
few eminences that are on this side were mistaken for 
islands when seen from the opposite shore ; they are 
for the most part cliffs of basalt, and are not above 
one hundred feet high; the subjacent strata are of 
white sand-stone. The rocks are mostly confined to 
the capes and shores, the soil inland being flat, clayey, 
and barren. Most of the headlands shewed traces of 
visits from the Esquimaux, but none of them recent. 
Many ducks were seen to-day, belonging to a species 
termed by the voyagers, from their cry, ‘“ caccawees.” 
We also saw some grey geese and swans. The only 
seal we procured during our voyage, was killed this 
day ; it happened to be blind, and our men imagining 
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